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RECENT M E D I A
DJ TRISTES TROPIQUES, RADIOACTIVITY, RADIO
RHYTHM, ETC
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Behind the Beat w/ Tristes Tropiques (Autobahn, Radioactivity), SF Weekly
May 6, 2010
By
Patric Fallon
Josh Widmann should be a household name in San
Francisco. Over the past three years, he's been working a strange, inventive
production style as Tristes Tropiques, making frequent radio appearances and
hosting numerous club nights around town.
This Sunday, May 9 he launches the brand new club night,
Autobahn, and his regular happy hour at 222 Hyde, Radioactivity, follows soon
after, on May 21. We had a recent chat with Widmann, who let us in the kind
of samples you'll never hear in a Tristes Tropiques track, how he's inspired
by the Karate Kid series, and why his heating bill remains low.
How do you describe your music?
Sex Pistols NyQuil Africa
Explain the origin of the name Tristes Tropiques.
It's a memoir about traveling in South America. Nice
fricative, heavy French name conjuring up tropical soundscapes and moody
vocals. Ultimately, a bad choice due to unpronouncability and its difficulty
to remember. However, I'll probably keep it so I can compete with other
French sounding DJ brethern like Jacques Renault and Altair Nouveau.
What are some of your favorite samples that you've
uncovered and used in your music?
I must admit I enjoy the occasional ceremonial chanting
or sandstorm wind record. Oceanic moans and groans are also fun to throw in
the background at low levels. I buy lots of vinyl soundtracks because they
are usually a dollar or two, and contain great material, anything from synthy
credits music to snippets of dialog. International horror film soundtracks
also are worth tapping into for direct sampling or inspiration. Language
learning LPs can also provide interesting dialog from around the world, along
with goofy sound effects used in the tutorial scenarios. One genre remains
off limits however: falling water. No raindrops, no rivers.
Describe your home studio set up.
The studio is basically a number of instruments strewn
about the apartment. I have some dusty guitar pedals, on-loan synthesizers,
MIDI controllers, a $99 "Memphis" bass guitar, an old drum machine
my brother gave me, and an Ableton Live setup with 1,000,000 underutilized
effects. There are some other rooms I occasionally use, including the
EchoPlex (aka the bathroom) and Zootopia-Unbound (aka the backyard).
Besides your computer, what piece of equipment gets the
most use when making a track?
Well, all instruments are eventually recorded on the
computer, but I am getting better at recording my own handclaps with my
microphone. It is easier said than done, especially if you know nothing about
"miking" stuff. It is probably spelled "micing" for all I
know, but that just looks even more funny.
Are you working on any tracks right now?
I am working on a few songs, most of which incorporate
stuttering handclaps and something that resembles a cowbell. I think it's
possible to program percussion-heavy tracks that are stimulating to listen
to, but not so crazy you cannot locate the 4/4 rhythm driving the song. The
recent songs are also marked by barely discernable vocals in the background,
some Juno synthwork, and one even includes an attempt at an English accent
that only a poorly trained studio Italian singer could produce. I would say
recently I'm trying to emulate maybe the style of the '80s synth duo
Blancmange. The newer songs I've been working on attempt to be fun, but not
as wonky as previous attempts (i.e. no bird noises and less telephone
ringing). I'm also working with steam, but when you tell people that, they
think you are working on a NIN type of song. Um, some other motifs I'm going
for are flute jams with synthesizers. These could be songs you hear during a
Karate Kid II montage, for example.
If you could sign to only one label for all time,
currently active or not, which one would it be?
ZYX in 1983. Just about "everyone" was on the
label. A powerhouse of sorts for Italo, proto house, and electronic disco.
Also, it would be fun to be on a label that people probably drunkenly confuse
with a zipper brand (YKK).
Tell us about the parties and events you're involved
with in San Francisco.
Radioactivity, a cold wave happy hour with
Robots.In.Heat on third Fridays at 222 Hyde, has been going on since the end
of last year. We play minimal wave, krautrock, Italo-disco, post-punk, and
related genres. Autobahn, which will be second Sundays at Koko Cocktails,
starts May 9. It is more of an Afro-cosmic and Italo night, so you will hear
synthesizers imposed over the occasional Italian rap or pitch-shifting,
percussive-heavy songs containing electronic bleeps from roughly 1970-1984.
The ubiquitous Conor from No Way Back will be my first guest for the
inaugural night. Here are some examples of what to expect:
Burundi Black - "Burundi Black"
Meco - "Ewok Celebration (Club Version)"
Sizike - "Don't Stop"
Who are some of your favorite local producers/bands
right now?
There are more bands than I can keep up with, but some
of my favorites are ones I have DJed with or seen recently including Group
Rhoda, 3Leafs, Bronze, Psychic Reality, Inca Ore, and Ssleeping Desiress.
Local producers are a little easier to keep tabs on, but sometimes a little
tricky since there are thousands of small press dance labels. It seems I am
always learning about someone that has either just moved here or has always
been here. Garth and his Grayhound label have been releasing some edited
versions of some great post-punk and leftfield disco types of songs. The 40
Thieves collective has put out some stellar recent releases on the Chinatown
and Permanent Vacation labels. Tal Klein, with his Aniligital label, and The
Beat Broker continue to churn out great tunes every few months.
Any advice for aspiring producers?
Don't be concerned with fidelity at first. Find out what
equipment you need to make the sounds you want, and combine them to make the
songs you want. Buy old dollar records for sampling based on cover art alone.
Sometimes trying random things when recording produces amazing results. I've
found it's difficult to be productive unless you get in the habit of working
your projects daily--a level of dedication is required. Lastly, keep the
blinds shut, turn your TV into a fishbowl, and turn the heat off.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2010/05/behind_the_beat_w_tristes_trop.php
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Philadelphia Citypaper, December 26, 2009
RECESS.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
10pm-2am
sign in to add to calendar
@ Medusa Lounge
27 S. 21st St.
So its the day after Christmas and your all full of cookies
and candy canes and whatever other over-indulgences youve shoved down your
throat. Your broke cuz of societys pressure to consume excess nothingness
(and ya know that recession thing people talk about). But damnit, you still
want to go out to drink and dance! Im sayin you could probably mosey on
over to this spot for some cheap beverages plus nice sounds, and have ya self
a grand ol time. San Franciscos Tristes Tropiques is bringin his unique
and moody stylings of electronic post rock dance hybrids. Hopefully hell
bring some of that west coast warmth with him.
w/ Tristes Tropiques, Ed Blammo,
No Arms
http://citypaper.net/agenda/event/2499_o_1930_2009-12-26/RECESS.
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SF Weekly All Shook Down, December 18, 2009
Radioactivity @ 222 Hyde (Fri.) For those looking
to kick start the weekend as soon as Friday happy hour hits, Radioactivity
fills the early evening with lots of good tunes. At 222 Hyde, DJs Tristes Tropiques and Robots.In.Heat spin a mix of
Krautrock, post-punk, cosmic, minimal synth, Italo, and other "weird and
funky shit" between 6 and 9 p.m. Radioactivity is free, and it comes
with a happy hour special: $8 for a pepperoni pizza and a beer.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/10_things_to_do_for_under_10/
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BushwickBK.com, November 21, 2009
Bushwick Culture Weekly Picks 11/19/09
Tandem is
hosting another fab dance party: Bionic Boogie w/djs MIKIE LIXXX, NY, Tristes
Tropiques, SF and Matt Cash (DFA records).
http://bushwickbk.com/2009/11/19/bushwick-culture-weekly-picks-111909/
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SF Weekly Blog
All Shook Down 4/3/09
Hey DJ! Friday Q&A: Tristes Tropiques
Here at SF Weekly, we
place a high value on San Francisco's humble DJ tastemakers. But we also
place high honors on music geeks whose sense of humor (and Jay McInerney appreciation) is as
evident as their vinyl instinct. All this makes post-punk/disco/no
wave/krautrock/etc/etc/etc DJ Tristes Tropiques a fun
dude to do a Q&A with. His setlists are as inspired by filmmakers as they
are by obscure bargain bin finds--and occasionally those affinities will
collide, like when he spins stuff by Jim Jarmusch's old band (as if Jarmusch
needed to be any cooler). For more on this Tristes turntable wizard, read
below, before basking in his extensive collection this coming Tuesday night
at Laszlo.
Name: Tristes Tropiques
Club night(s): Radio
Rhythm (Disco, funk, and danceable stuff Jah Wobble would like); Dance to ZE Beat (Post punk, no
wave, experimental); Barda Cosmica (electronic, krautrock, slow-downs).
Style(s) of music you spin: Songs with hand claps followed by two
seconds of echo, conga drums, grunts, heavily-syncopated drumming, post-punk
guitars and vocals, chanting, telephone rings, unexpected Jamaican or
Europeans who start rapping, ironic self help advice, etc. Also songs from
soundtracks like Revenge of the Nerds, Bright Lights, Big City
& John Carpenter movies.
So what's your story, in 100 words or less? My
interest in records mostly began out of curiosity. Anytime I heard something
catchy I would try to find out the source - e.g. the bassline from
"Whoomp (There It Is)", which is actually from Italo disco legends Kano, or the Stone Roses'
"Fools Gold" drum break, allegedly recreated in the studio to
sound like the Bobby Byrd original. From there, I began to look for interesting
elements of otherwise bland songs, such as the Glimmers' re-edit of Billy
Idol's "Hot in the City (Exterminator Mix)" which chops out the
fluff.
Name of a track you can't get out of your head: Tom
Browne's "Fungi Mama Bebopafunkadiscolypso", which I found in a
box of records I bought in bulk. It just happens to randomly be on an Arista
Christmas compilation but has nothing to do with Christmas. The song features
chicken clucks, indigenous vocals, conga drums, and a fat funk bassline. The
name says it all, really.
Musical mantra:
It's you. Make it habit. Make it happen. Only you.
It's you. Make it habit. Make it happen. Only you.
It's you. Make it habit. Make it happen. Only you.
-Will Powers
Favorite DJ experience: Cole Palme (of the legendary industrial/post
punk group Factrix) asking if he
could be paid in Absinthe before his Halloween "Dance to ZE Beat"
DJ set.
Worst request: Rodney Dangerfield's disco-rap "Rappin' Rodney" (also
the best request, but I rarely play the song).
Most treasured vinyl score: Lies
to Live By, the LP by Jim Jarmusch's eerie post punk band from the early
1980s, The Del Byzanteens.
What other music-related projects are you currently working on? More
original productions, remixes, re-edits, re-organizations, slow-downs,
re-arrangements, adjustments. Finding vocalists, hand clappers, and people
who speak in tongues. Starting a Cosmic night (usually involves electronic,
African recordings, & 45s played at 33).
What elements would your fantasy club night entail? A combination of
the clubs in the movies Slamdance, Howard the Duck, Downtown 81, The
Squeeze & Scarface: lasers, Greek columns, smoke, dinosaurs
made from TVs, Plexiglas, mirrors, and Michael Keaton.
Question we didn't ask you but you often ask yourself: Would hip -hop
ever have emerged if the words "ladies," "80s" and
"Mercedes" didn't rhyme?
Next time we can see you spin: Special guest appearances at:
"Audio Seduction" at Laszlo
on Tuesday, April 7th and "Disco Doggies Happy Hour" at Triple Crown on
Wednesday, April 15th, as well as at Dance to ZE Beat's 1-year anniversary DJ
party on May 14th at the Knockout
with Ken Man from Liquid Idiot/Fist of Facts; Pam from Sugar and Gold; and
Rob from Bronze.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2009/04/hey_dj_friday_qa_tristes_tropi.php
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SF Weekly Blog All Shook Down: Track of the Day 3/20/09
Track of the Day: Tristes Tropiques
By
Jennifer Maerz in MP3 of the Day
Friday,
Mar. 20 2009 @ 10:52AM
Local DJ/producer Tristes Tropiques has
crafted some cool little fever dreams for the dance floor with his tracks "Arabesque"
and "Shhh."
In the same way that your overnight subconscious blends together non-linear
landscapes for a surreal ride, Tropiques uses these tunes to flash mutilple
sonic experiences into extended mixes. "Arabesque" lives up to its
name, offering hints of heavily reverbed Middle Eastern melodies cascading
into an insistant techno beat. "Shhh" continues the foreign
excursion, with chopped up chatter in other languages, flirtations with a
flute, synth melodies pulsing in and out of your headphones, and beats that
move in a stoned stomp. Happy travels from a Triste DJ.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2009/03/track_of_the_day_tristes_tropi.php
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10 Things Under $10 To Do This Weekend
By Jennifer Maerz in Music
Thursday, Mar. 12 2009 @ 7:03PM
5. Jonas
Reinhardt at Project One (Saturday)
It's fitting that the last couple times I've seen local boys Jonas
Reinhardt's name on a flier, it's been for a show at an art gallery. The band
approaches its synth-heavy post rock with an art bent, sounding at times like
a live sci-fi soundtrack. On Saturday they play at the newish Project One,
which also hosts Portland's experimental electronic trio Explode Into Colors and
tastemaking DJ Tristes
Tropiques. Show starts at 9 p.m. and costs $7.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2009/03/10_things_under_10_to_do_this.php
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San Francisco Bay Guardian March 4,
2009
Radio Rhythm presents Brennan Green
Tonight requires you to dance
across town, from deep SoMa, where Maurice Fulton is DJing, to the Lower
Haight, which plays host to Brennan Green's first Bay Area DJ set in three
years. A visit by Green is an occasion partly because his recent recordings
on his Chinatown label are ace, pairing sleek and seductive electronics with
strong live bass lines and drumbeats. When optimal, the result is a cavernous
liquidity that's as Balearic as Norway, which makes it unsurprising to
discover that Green and Lindstrψm and Prins Thomas have been remixing each
other. (Huston)
With Tristes Tropiques, Kelley
B, and Alona
10 p.m.2 a.m., $5$8
Underground SF
424 Haight, SF
(415) 864-7386
www.myspace.com/chinatown
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SFBG December 30, 2008
Our weekly picks: What to do Dec. 31, 2008 - Jan. 6,
2009
"Dance to Ze Beat" with Sal P. Of all the
vocalizations Sal Principato threw out during his tenure with epochal
early-'80s polter-funk group Liquid Liquid, the mantra that haunts
"Cavern" is probably the only phrase we can parse with certainty:
"Slip in and out of phenomenon." In the hands of the Sugar Hill
house band, who copied the track to form the basis of Grandmaster Flash's
"White Lines (Don't Do It)," the slogan became normalized to
"something like a phenomenon," but the original phrasing reflects
the way Liquid Liquid represented the center of New York's exhilarating,
de-stratified late-'70s/early-'80s downtown scene and a spooky, spacious
enclave within it. Considering the mini-revival of all things Downtown 81
over the past two years, and the attendant attempts to make the era's
glorious non-specificity cohere as a narrative, Sal P.'s DJ set might make
you think twice before you call Liquid Liquid "post-punk." Nobody
does the ellipsis like this. (Brandon Bussolini)
With Nate B., Tristes Tropiques, DJ Spun, and Conor 9
p.m.2 a.m., $12 ($10 before 11 p.m.) Edinburgh Castle Pub 950 Geary, SF
(415) 885-4074 www.castlenews.com
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=7759&catid=85&volume_id=398&issue_id=412&volume_num=43&issue_num=14&l=1
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Myopenbar.com
December 30, 2008
Liquid Liquid and Sal P. DJ sets at Edinburgh Castle, one
of only four events chosen as a SF Bay Guardian pick for NYE - No-wave
New Years. Weve been plugging this monthly all year and are glad to see a
down-to-Earth NYE party among the Total Noise. With so much lame shit to
chose from tonight, paying for drinks at a big Tenderloin bar appeals to us.
That and a dozen or so house parties. The satisfaction of going out, but not
to a mindless shitshow. Source:
sf.myopenbar.com
http://sf.funcheap.com/2008/12/31/sf-guardian-pick-of-the-week-dance-to-ze-beat-edinburgh-castle-tenderloin/
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